MACEDONIA, Ohio — The Nordonia Hills City Schools Board of Education highlighted historic state achievements, celebrated the careers of iconic retiring educators, and approved an expansion of the district’s extracurricular family cap during its regular meeting on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.
The session opened with a major financial celebration as Tina Ludwig, the Northeast Ohio Regional Liaison for Ohio Auditor of State Keith Faber, presented the district with the prestigious Auditor of State Award with Distinction. Out of more than 4,200 audits conducted across 6,000 public entities statewide, only 4% achieve this honor. The award recognizes a completely clean financial audit report tracking the district’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report on a GAAP accounting basis with zero material weaknesses, deficiencies, or citations. Treasurer Kyle Kifer was specifically commended for his leadership and commitment to fiscal integrity. Kifer credited his staff and the district’s administrative assistants for their diligent work in managing purchase orders and strict departmental budgets.
Nordonia Knights Claim First-Ever Flag Football State Title
The board recognized the historic achievements of the 2026 Nordonia Knights women’s flag football team, who captured the first-ever Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) State Championship. In only their second year of existence, the Knights navigated a rigorous 16-game spring schedule before sweeping their competition at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.
Athletic Director Rob Eckenrode and Head Coach Steve Holtz commended the pioneers of the sport, noting that flag football is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country. It is slated to become an Olympic sport at the 2028 Los Angeles Games and was officially voted an NCAA-recognized sport. The team received a special video congratulatory message from Cleveland Browns broadcaster Nathan Zegura. The Browns have been primary advocates for expanding the sport across Northeast Ohio.
Superintendent Casey Wright praised Athletic Director Rob Eckenrode and Jessica Archer for their persistent advocacy over the last three years to build the programmatic infrastructure necessary to launch the team.
High School Science Olympiad Team Heading to State
The board also celebrated the ongoing success of the high school and middle school Science Olympiad teams. Led by advisor Cindy May and Team Captain Trent Toth, the squad successfully pushed through regional brackets to secure a spot as state qualifiers for the fourth consecutive year. Toth and fellow representative Max Johnson were lauded by the board for their dedication to competitive, imaginative scientific inquiry.
Celebrating over a Century of Combined Teaching Excellence
The district honored five long-serving educators transitioning into retirement at the end of the school year.
Josh Davis (35 Years of Service)
High School Principal Jessica Archer delivered a folklore-status send-off to AP Psychology and Social Studies teacher Josh Davis. Spending all 35 years of his teaching career within Nordonia schools, Davis designed the district’s contemporary issues curriculum, served as department chair, coached softball and bowling, and authored six books. Known for an authentic, unfiltered approach to storytelling and critical thinking, Davis was described as an irreplaceable pillar of Nordonia High School culture.
Dr. Endre Szentkiralyi (28 Years at Nordonia)
Dr. Endre Szentkiralyi retires after 33 total years in education, including 28 years here at Nordonia. Holding a PhD in literary and cultural studies, Szentkiralyi taught German and college composition, pioneered early high school paper recycling programs, and managed student travel experiences across Europe and Asia. He famously elevated the high school Mock Trial program into one of the most respected organizations in Northeast Ohio, frequently qualifying for state-level competitions.
Melodie Kopac (31 Years of Service)
Northfield Elementary School Music Teacher Melodie Kopac announced her retirement after 31 years with the district. Hired when the building reopened in 1995, Kopac is a National Board Certified educator, Google Certified mentor, and technology trainer who helped generations of elementary students build a lifelong appreciation for musical composition.
Maryanne Dunn & Patti Belli (Rushwood Elementary)
The Rushwood Elementary administration recognized the departures of paraprofessional Patti Belli and second-grade teacher Maryanne Dunn. Belli, who managed front-office operations, retired after years of quiet behind-the-scenes support. Dunn completed a remarkable 36-year career dedicated exclusively to Nordonia Hills students. As a second-generation educator whose parents both taught at Nordonia High School, Dunn was celebrated for her immense patience and deep familial ties to the district.
Board Approves Activity Fee Cap Expansion and Legislative Monitoring
Treasurer Kyle Kifer presented the April financial report, noting that revenues are aligned with tracking goals following the community’s passage of a 5-mill levy last year. All initial levy collections were finalized by the end of April, with state rollback matching scheduled for May. Kifer highlighted that personnel and purchase-service expenditures have remained stable compared to the same period last year through careful position-control tracking and zero-based budgeting.
Based on recommendations from the Financial Activities Communications Team (FACT) Committee, the board voted unanimously to expand the district’s $700 family cap policy. Initially projected to benefit roughly 10 to 15 families, 40 distinct families maximized the extracurricular cap this school year, driving up student participation metrics in spring sports. To support further engagement, the board authorized the addition of Winter Guard, Winter Drumline, and grades 9–12 Choir fees to the protected cap structure for the 2026–2027 school year.
In legislative updates, Board President Liz McKinley outlined several Columbus developments:
- House Bill 413: Focused on local government spending transparency. Treasurer Kifer is scheduled to travel to Columbus to provide expert testimony regarding Nordonia’s successful integration into the Ohio Checkbook platform.
- Senate Bill 311: An omnibus education bill modifying teacher out-of-state licensing exemptions for reading coursework, lengthening school board vacancy-filling windows to 45 days, and permitting Educational Service Centers (ESCs) to acquire surplus public school properties.
- House Bill 462: Passed by a concurrent 87–0 vote, allowing school buildings to stock and distribute nasal epinephrine delivery devices alongside traditional auto-injectors. The bill now heads to the governor’s desk.
The superintendent’s office also finalized an agreement with ParentSquare to consolidate all building communication channels, emergency notifications, and parent-teacher portals under a single secure platform for the upcoming school year. The platform will lower annual technology licensing expenses while enhancing student data privacy. Additionally, a specialized special education transport agreement with Education Alternatives was approved, utilizing the agency’s fleet to significantly reduce specialized out-of-district routing costs.
The board will hold its next regular voting session on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. at Northfield Elementary School.
